Prime soon had other things to worry about, as Magnus arrived on Earth with the intention of taking the Matrix, which he believed was rightfully his, at all costs. Prime, who refused to fight back, was seriously injured by Magnus. Magnus tracked Optimus to a desert island, where he pretended to offer him the hand of friendship, only to attempt to absorb the Matrix for himself. During the struggle, the brothers combined into the form of Omega Prime, also known as the God Fire Convoy. Through this link, Magnus was also able to channel the power of the Matrix, which he used to supercharge the Autobot Brothers into newly colored forms. Prime went on to battle the Decepticons on many other occasions. Although Magnus remained a free agent, refusing to take orders from his brother, over time, his animosity dwindled, and he frequently helped the Autobots by combining with Prime to battle the Predacons and Decepticons. During the final battle with Megatron's new form, Galvatron, the two brothers finally reconciled. Together, they faced Galvatron at the Earth's core and defeated him once and for all.

In Transformers: The Last Knight, he is brother-in-arms with Bumblebee who he fought alongside with to foil the Nazi Party in World War 2. He speaks with a thick French accent due to being stuck in France for so long, much to his own embarrassment. He wields a special gun which can briefly slow down time. He is also the only Transformer who is shown to speak in vehicle mode. [20][21]

Optimus Prime is also among the characters who appear in the flash game TRANSFORMERS CVBERVERSE Battle Builder Game.[21] Optimus Prime is one of the Autobots featured in Transformers: The Ride at Universal Studios theme parks. In the ride, Optimus fends off against the invading Decepticons at N.E.S.T. headquarters while telling Evac to escape with the AllSpark shard. He battles Megatron throughout the ride until Megatron is killed by Evac. Optimus then congratulates Evac and the riders for protecting the AllSpark.
Additionally, Star Convoy transforms into a large battle station that interacts with the Micromasters that made up the vast majority of the Transformer toyline at the time. His chest contains a peg that allows Micromaster figures to stand inside it in either robot or base modes, and he comes with a unique Micromaster version of Hot Rod not available on its own. He features storage space in his legs for two spring-loaded figure-launching Micro Trailers, and comes with one of his own, decorated in a unique black and orange color scheme. In this mode, two ramps are connected to the Microcarrier; when the carrier's treads are set rolling, they do not move the base, but instead act as conveyor belts that carry Micromaster figures down the ramps. The Microcarrier also spins a gun turret mounted between the conveyors, on which Micromaster figures can stand. Finally, a special connector packaged with Star Convoy allows the Microcarrier to be connected up to Grandus's base mode, powering his moving elevator.
As with other Dark of the Moon Activators toys, this Optimus Prime (released under the Robo Power subline) is a very simple one-step transformation toy. You simply slam him down on the big blue button on the back end of his truck mode and he transforms thanks to spring-loaded mechanisms. To transform him back, just slam him down again on the same blue button.
Optimus Prime is among the three Autobot figures available to play in the Monopoly Transformers Collectors Edition game.[28] As the figurehead of the entire Transformers franchise, Optimus Prime has been on more pieces of merchandise than can be stated here. Several statues and busts of Optimus Prime as well as Optimus Prime themed objects have been released by various companies since the return of Transformers to prominence, such as the "Optimus Prime Oral Care Station". Other figures released include various PVCs as part of Takara's "Super Collection Figure" line, which were later imported as part of Hasbro's "Heroes of Cybertron" series. Larger "Mega Collection Figure" PVCs were articulated and came with energy axe and gun figures. As part of the merchandising wave for the first Transformers film in 2007, Hasbro's Playskool line released a Transformers-themed version of Mr. Potato Head based on Optimus Prime. To keep with the potato theme, the toy was labeled "Optimash Prime" and the packaging included the slogan "More than meets the fry", a potato-oriented version of the Transformers slogan "More than meets the eye".
Released as part of the "W Convoy" campaign ("Double" Convoy, that is!) alongside a silver chrome version of Energon Rodimus, this gold chrome "Mēki" ("plating") version of the Deluxe size Optimus Prime toy was available only as a prize in a mail-in Robot Points contest. Initially limited to 20 units in the original draw, it appears that many more were made available through toy store drawings, given how many went on to appear on online auction sites through 2005 and 2006.
This Classics Optimus Prime is a smaller, deluxe-class toy bearing a greater resemblance to the original G1 toy. He was only available in a special Versus pack with a similarly unique Classics Megatron toy and later the FAB version of the 2007 movie Prime. Later releases of this toy had him individually packed in some European countries. His vehicle mode and robot mode is based upon the original toy, but due to limitations in design, budget and gimmick, does not succeed very well. His thighs cannot collapse into his lower legs, meaning they are exposed in vehicle mode, as is his head. Although to be fair, you wouldn't really notice the leg thing if he had a trailer. But, he is greatly articulated.
In an amusing (but glaring) example of poor quality control in a Takara product, the back of the packaging features a small amount of Engrish, notably the word "kinetic" being written as "Kinetick". The bio also mentions the elemental metal as the "Cyber-Matter" living metal, which is used for the Aligned continuity family. Oddly, TakaraTomy's stock photo of the robot mode figure was later used as a cutout "battle figure" included with Telebi Magazine's Burning Megatron.
Across the assorted continuities of the original Transformers universe, there have been various interpretations of Optimus Prime. One of Prime's most notable characteristics over all continuities his unswaying commitment to leadership by example. The animated series' version of Optimus Prime is depicted as a straightforward, wise, and upbeat battlefield general. Additionally, the animated series' version of Optimus dislikes rap music, putting him at odds with music-loving characters like Blaster and Jazz.
Arms Master Optimus's "Space Blaster Mode" is a mode designed for fighting in outer space, introduced in the Cybertron Satellite segment of "Infinite Transformation! Multiplying Enemies". He wears R.A. and Shining R.A. on his shoulders as wings, C.L. and C.L. GR on his back as thrusters, and B.H. and B.H. B on his feet as... more thrusters. His weapon of choice in this mode is the Matrix Blaster.
They’ve been invaded by pop culture favorites, too. Robot Chicken turned the couch gag into stop-motion animation, they’ve parodied Breaking Bad and the Game of Thrones opening sequence, and the living room has gone all topsy-turvy M.C. Escher-style. But best of all, for our purposes, was when the five Simpsons drove into the living room as familiar vehicles, then transformed into robo-Simpsons. Baby Maggie was a blue Volkswagen Beetle, clearly as an homage to Bumblebee, despite the odd color choice. Perhaps it was it was switched to match her onesie.
A mode for Arms Master Optimus designed for underwater combat, "Aqua Screw Mode" was shown in Cybertron Satellite segment of "Explosive Sword Transformation! Wheeljack and Dreadwing". C.L. and Balo are combined into a propeller engine and attached to his right foot, their GR and G redecoes do the same for the left, and B.H. B is attached to his right shoulder to act as a radar system. He wears Arc S's blade on his right arm and wields the Giga Tornado Cannon Combo Weapon.
Hot Rod would appear in the UK Marvel comic issue #234, "Prime's Rib!" This story is set in the near future, 1995, where Optimus Prime, Jazz and Hot Rod introduced the latest Autobot, Arcee, to the human feminists. She was met with displeasure by the humans, being called a token female and disliked for her pink color. They were then attacked by Shockwave, Fangry, Horri-Bull and Squeezeplay, who thought the Autobots would be unveiling a new weapon. The Autobots fought off the Decepticons, who escaped, but nothing seemed to please the human feminists.
"Bot Shots" Optimus Prime had many confrontations with his Megatron counterpart, crashing into each other in vehicle mode and then slugging it out in robot mode. Battle for the Matrix Bot Shots commercial Bot Shots Dragon Track Commercial One Bot Shot Optimus and Megatron belonged to neighbours, and taunted one another when their owners left for school. They both burst out of their respective houses, destroying the windows on the way out and colliding in mid-air. Battle for the Matrix Bot Shots commercial

As part of the Robot Replicas line, this version of Optimus is a non-transforming action figure that utilizes Revoltech-style jointing. The sculpt hews much closer to the movie CGI model than is possible with the full transforming toys, plus the universal jointing of the line allows for his forearm to be replaced with his hand-cannon... or bits from other Robot Replicas.

Hybrid Style Optimus Prime is an insanely detailed and complex transforming toy, created under the supervision of famed mecha designer Shōji Kawamori. Standing only three and three-quarter inches tall in robot mode, the figure is partially constructed from die-cast metal and features one of the most complex transformation sequences ever seen on a Transformers figure of its size. Alas, the small size of the figure also works against it, as it required several design concessions that resulted in (if we're being nice about it) an unimpressive cab mode.
Prime is loaded with a ridiculous number of features and accessories. The robot itself is highly poseable, and both the smokestacks on Prime's shoulders and the fuel tanks on his legs can be rotated forward to act as guns, even featuring sculpted detail to this effect. As ever, he comes with a trailer that opens up into his crazy-detailed Combat Deck, featuring more action features than ever before. In trailer mode alone, it features a flip-down support stand so it can stand alone, a spring-loaded pop-out ramp instead of a fold-down one, and when the trailer is split for transformation, the traditional support legs underneath automatically swing out into place. The trailer houses most of Prime's accessories, including his ion blaster (with a moveable ammo clip to allow for multiple poses) and energon-axe, as well as his classic gas pump accessory, now with a poseable wire instead of a rubber hose. Two fold-out compartments provide storage space for six of Prime's interchangeable fists, while the other two remain attached the robot: two clenched, two open, a pointing right fist, a tilted left fist (for holding the ion blaster's ammo clip), and two fists with slots to grip the miniscule Matrix of Leadership that fits in a tiny chamber in Prime's chest. The Combat Deck's artillery robot features two flip-out handles that Prime can grip as if aiming the drone's guns, and Roller is also included, with three different 3mm ports to hold Prime's gun and gas pump. Lastly, Prime comes with a rocket pack like those used by the Autobots in such Generation 1 cartoon episodes as "Dinobot Island", and a stand shaped like the Autobot insignia that allows him to be displayed in mid-air, as if in flight. The rocket pack also has 3mm ports for Prime's weapons, and stores on the front of the trailer in vehicle mode.
At BotCon 2005, Hideaki Yoke revealed that Optimus Prime (or more accurately, Diaclone Battle Convoy) was not designed by a single person, but rather a team of Takara designers as the one who was originally assigned the job had fallen behind. It is said that a young Shoji Kawamori was also a member of this team at some point, who would design THS-02 Convoy over 20 years later. The patent for the toy, however, lists Hiroyuki Obara as the designer.
One of the single rarest Lucky Draw Figures in existence, this "Custom Color" redeco of Super Optimus Prime was limited to only one in the world. It was the grand prize of a coloring contest held in Septemeber 2005's TV Magazine, in which entrants colored in lineart of Prime with the deco they wanted to see. The winning entry was in green, blue and gold, while ten runners-up received one of five gold or five silver Lucky Draw versions of Prime.

He comes with a fully transforming and highly detailed trailer that opens up into his Combat Deck/repair bay, with a functioning repair drone and Roller, who features four-wheel steering. His other accessories include a teeeny Matrix inside his chest compartment, his ion blaster (with adjustable grip), his energy axe, Sideswipe's jet pack, and several different hands, all of which can be stored in individual compartments within the trailer.

Standing only two-and-a-quarter inches tall, Smallest Transforming Transformers Optimus Prime was the smallest fully transforming G1 Optimus toy for a while, at least until the release of his chubby super-deformed Q-Transformers versions. He features an accurate transformation sequence based on the original full-sized toy, replacing the detachable hands with actual sculpted fists, and even including a tiny version of his laser rifle. Unsurprisingly, he also has little articulation and is only capable of moving his arms and legs.

What I find more interesting is who’s in this wave. Not only is there Hot Rod and Barricade in ’80s muscle car form, but Optimus Prime in his red G1 Peterbilt truck form (just with movie Optimus’ head! Maybe Bumblebee will explain the origin of his “rip off everyone’s face” fetish). Two versions of Bumblebee round out the wave, his traditional movie-verse Camaro and G1 VW Bug.
He was only available as an Amazon exclusive in the United States, but was also released at brick and mortar retails in Australia and Hasbro's Asian markets, such as Singapore. Oddly enough, even though the official press release for the figure identifies it as "14 of 30" in Hasbro's Thrilling 30 campaign, the packaging does not sport any such markings.[3] To complicate matters further, a later retrospective by Hasbro on Facebook identifies another product as "14 of 30", which doesn't sport any such markings on its packaging either.[4]

Available exclusively from Japanese clothing company A Bathing Ape in 2014, MP Convoy Reissue BAPE Ver. is a trailer-less redeco of the MP-10 mold sporting a green color scheme matching the Convoy Reissue BAPE Ver. of the original G1 toy, with "BAPE's famous camouflage pattern" and an ape head print on the shoulder replacing the usual faction symbol.

The conclusion to the storyline was forestalled when Hasbro retracted 3H Enterprise's license, but an explanation can be found in issue 8 of the Transformers Collectors Club magazine, Cybertron/Robots in Disguise. In this issue, Prime tells the tale of how Unicron's forces were defeated in the last battle by Optimus Primal's forces and Unicron disappeared into the black hole opened in Transformers: Energon. Combined as Omega Prime, they could not escape fast enough, and were sucked into another dimension.
The Autobots tracked SARA's energy signature to a decrepit old building. While a team headed by Jazz stormed the building's main floor as a distraction, Optimus, Hot Rodimus and Brawl infiltrated its basement covertly. Coming upon the Decepticons' inner sanctum, they found Megatron having already wired SARA into his own body! Horrified by this development, Optimus demanded to know what Megatron was planning to do. The true extent of Megatron's megalomania was then revealed; the Decepticon leader planned to use SARA's energy to become ruler of all space-time, even if it meant destroying his home dimension in the process. Both Hot Rodimus and Brawn were knocked aside by Megatron in short order, leaving Optimus with no back-up and few options. Deciding he needed to take down Megatron, even at the cost of his own life, Optimus transformed to vehicle mode and rammed the Decepticon. He then lost consciousness...
An extensive redeco of the Protoform Optimus Prime mold that was exclusively available at the Japanese C3xHobby Convention in August of 2007, and later offered by e-HOBBY in limited quantities. Most of the body is made out of transparent turquoise plastic in order to mimic its frozen state in the "coldness" of space, while orange paint is used on the front end of the "entry" mode, mimicking the heat effects of sudden atmospheric entry. The flame attachment is made out of clear blue plastic, with the tail end being covered in gold paint.

Omron's keychains were not limited to soft plastic, with die-cast versions of the same characters from the Mascot Keychain line being made available in their Transformers Strap range. This Prime is pretty much identical to the Die Cast Figure version of the character, just a little smaller—about 2.5" in height—and with the addition of a keychain with a wrist-strap.

Hasbro's Toys R Us-exclusive 2003 reissue of Powermaster Optimus Prime was actually a modified version of Takara's then-recently reissued God Ginrai set. As such, the cab was partly constructed out of die-cast metal, vacuum-metalized plastic and had clear blue windows. The trailer was retooled so the super robot's fists could slide in and out of the arms. This set also included the originally Japanese-exclusive Apex Bomber drone trailer that attached onto the back of Optimus Prime's trailer in vehicle mode, and could become extra armour in super robot mode.The missiles where unchromed and lengthened due to safety issues as opposed to the Japanese release which were chromed and shorter.
As Megatron explained that the Matrix was giving them a vision of the future, they witnessed themselves battling on Sherman Dam. The nature of their surroundings established, Megatron resumed the scheduled beating, but a series of setting shifts ended with Optimus reunited with Grimlock. Grimlock handed Prime a sword and suggested he finish Megatron for good. The War Within #5 Optimus found Megatron again, engaging him in combat and announcing that he was playing the game by Megatron's rules now—without mercy. Though he did not slay Megatron, he inflicted enough damage onto him to expunge from his memory the visions the Matrix had granted him. A short time later, Optimus joined the other Autobots in attacking the Decepticons who were trying to use Cybertron's planetary engines. Grimlock was finally impressed with Prime. Thanks to the combined efforts of Optimus and Grimlock's squad, the Decepticons were driven away and the engines were destroyed before they could tear the planet apart. Afterwards, Optimus's group arrived back at Iacon to find it destroyed. Optimus announced the Autobots were no longer evacuating the planet and threw away the Golden Disk full of the knowledge of his predecessors which the council had given him, saying he would choose his own course. The War Within #6
Take one part bicycle, two pages out of the Flintstones automobile design book and one hard-spoiled child and you have a pedal car. It seems like a really fun idea in theory but, in actuality, the single-speed gearing of a bike mixed with the weight of the metal shell, seats and wheels meant operation of the thing bordered on child labor. Still, the pedal car remained very sought after for generations to come.

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Platinum Optimus is a redeco of the Leader Class Optimus Prime. Optimus' color palette is now darkened with some additional paint details. His "Sword of Judgment" is now a light blue. Optimus features more chrome on his "Vector Shield", chest, and on his head. The set was a shared exclusive, available from BigBadToyStore and Toys"R"Us, and was also sold during a Taiwanese event celebrating the launch of Transformers Rising.
In robot mode, Voyager class Optimus Prime is proportionally more accurate to his CGI design than the leader class toy and has a more accurate headsculpt. However, due to the aforementioned lessened complexity, significant sacrifices had to be made, such as "cheats" to the transformation sequence to achieve this. He is thus less accurate overall than he initially appears. In addition to previously mentioned changes, he carries much of the truck's front hood, grill and fenders on his back like a backpack. Nevertheless, he maintains a superb level of articulation and posability.
Optimus was checking up on the Autobots' ongoing energy collecting campaign when Wheeljack informed him that a disturbance in Sector 33HM of space-time would eventually cause major problems in its time-stream. Optimus assigned the investigation of this disturbance to Bumblebee, then noted that Hot Rodimus had not completed his latest report, communications with the young Autobo having been lost while he was on his own mission. With a brief inspirational speech, he urged his subordinates to redouble their efforts in maintaining harmony throughout reality. Little did Optimus suspect that in his own universe, Megatron was planning a coup against the Autobots... Uprising
This toy's design has directly and indirectly influenced numerous others over the years, including many future versions of Generation One Optimus Prime himself as well as new interpretations of the character for Armada, the live-action movie, and Transformers Animated. Redecos of those toys have in turn spread the toy's iconic look to several other characters and many of their subsequent toys: Ultra Magnus, Scourge, and the various Nemesis Primes. Additionally, a toy that was originally intended to be the original Optimus Prime was eventually retconned to be the new character Optimus Primal, bringing Prime's appearance over to that character (and eventually Primal Prime as well.) In Japan, this began a tradition of Beast Era Convoys emulating Prime's look, spawning still more toys that trace part of their lineage back to this one.
Hot Rod would make his first IDW Publishing appearance in a Spotlight issue focusing on him. In this, he was shown to be newly promoted to command of a group of Autobots including Gizmo, Backbeat and Dealer, who had been sent to secure the Magnificence, a device of some sort that could predict the future. Getting past the guardians, Hot Rod was swapping it with a fake to prevent the Decepticons from getting their hands on it when a seeming Decepticon ambush wiped out his squad. Determined to rescue the only survivor, Dealer, Hot Rod staged a daring solo rescue mission that managed to rescue Dealer - unaware that he was really Doubledealer, a Decepticon spy sent by Banzaitron to retrieve the Magnificence and now out to find where Hot Rod had stashed it.[10]
This figure is an exclusive to San Diego Comic-Con 2011. The toy comes in a packaging shaped like the Matrix of Leadership, which one could wear around their neck, preferably at the convention itself, so passers-by can exclaim "WHERE THE HELL DID YOU GET THAT?" and then try to get one themselves. The Matrix itself comes packaged in a box that is designed to look like Optimus Prime's chest, and opens accordingly. The chest window doors are sealed with a round magnet.
The back story of the Transformers on ancient Cybertron is told in Transformers: Defiance. In this story, Starscream returns to Cybertron after encountering an enemy scout ship in the Eshems Nebula. After being repaired for minor damage by Ratchet, Starscream and Ironhide report to Optimus Prime and Megatron.[63] In issue #2, Optimus Prime is ordered by Megatron to counter-attack Cybertron's invaders, but instead, Optimus organizes a resistance to Megatron's decision. In issue #3, Optimus Prime, Jazz, and Prowl break into Megatron's quarters while he is away looking for clues to why he is acting so strangely. What they find is an ancient artifact that Megatron had restored.[64]
This figure was released during the short-lived period when Hasbro was treating the Beast Wars as an extension of the Autobot/Decepticon war, and Optimus Primal was presented as being the same character as Optimus Prime. This was soon relegated to the realms of micro-continuity when the Beast Wars animated series began and clearly established that the two Optimuses were different characters, but the toy remains one that was officially branded as Prime, and is consequently listed here.
Near the end of the series, in what is generally regarded by fans to be his most impressive feat, Optimus Prime takes on Galvatron without combining with any other transformer. Traditionally, throughout the three series and RiD, Optimus Prime has been shown to be physically weaker than Galvatron. At the end of the intense fight, Galvatron proved stronger than Prime, but Prime managed to destroy Galvatron with Vector Prime's sword.
This figure was only available in a two-pack with a Voyager Class Grimlock figure. The two-pack was exclusively available at Target stores in the United States, Canada and Australia, at Tesco stores in the United Kingdom and Hungary and at Galeria Kaufhof department stores in Germany. In Asia, most of the remaining stock are available in some hobby shops and some video stores like Speedy Video.

Alternatively, the Autobots could concoct a plan where Optimus would pretend to allow himself to be taken prisoner, per Buddy’s suggestion. The Decepticons, fooled into thinking they’ve won, took Optimus Prime into their base. Having hidden his troops inside his trailer, Optimus and the Autobots then led a surprise attack on their unsuspecting foes.

1· To calculate the average price per piece in a year, I took the price per piece of each set made that year, multiplied it by the number of pieces in the set and then averaged all the weighted prices. I used a weighted average because when we are looking at the price per piece we are essentially saying we could buy x number of pieces for y dollars. Larger sets tend to have a lower price per piece so in effect you could get more pieces at that lower price that year. Note: this was done using US retail price data from Brickset.
The 1984 and 1985 toy lines contained several figures of note. Megatron, the Decepticon leader, originally transformed into a realistic Walther P38 pistol with stock and barrel extensions and scope. The Megatron toy was delayed till 1985 for release in the UK. The Constructicons were the first "gestalt" team in the Transformers line, but were different from most subsequent gestalt teams in that they consisted of six members instead of five. The Autobot Jetfire was repainted from a Macross toy, specifically the VF-1 Valkyrie, and the character was renamed Skyfire in the animated television series program for copyright reasons.
In one possible sequence of events, Powerglide was captured and reprogrammed by the Decepticons, leading their army to Autobot headquarters. Taken by surprised, the Autobots were felled one by one until only Optimus remained. As Megatron gloated that he would not kill Optimus, only alter him so as to make him the bane of humanity, Optimus activated the Ark’s self-destruct sequence, taking all of the Decepticons with him in a fiery explosion.
[…] What Happened with LEGO When I was working on my last presentation, I totally had the idea of buying a bunch of lego people and taking pictures to make the slides (like those awesome slide decks you see online). However I was surprised to find that you didn’t just buy a pack of people, but you could buy different bodies, heads, beards, hair, and other accessories – oh, and they weren’t cheap! […]
Generation 1 Optimus Prime has appeared in numerous video games since the introduction of the Transformers series. He makes a cameo in the 1999 Beast Wars Transmetals video game for Nintendo 64, where he is killed by Megatron at the end of the campaign, showing what would have happened in the Beast Wars series with a Predacon victory. Prime is also one of the playable characters in the 2003 Japan-only Transformers game for the PlayStation 2 and the 2010 Transformers: War for Cybertron. Optimus Prime is also playable in the Hasbro Net Jet Transformers fighting game Transformers Battle Universe. Three versions of Optimus Prime are playable characters, including the first generation incarnation, his incarnations from the 2007 live-action film, and the incarnation from Transformers Animated. In this game, Optimus Primal is also a playable character. He is a regular character in the Nintendo GameCube and PlayStation 2 2003 fighting game DreamMix TV World Fighters. He appeared as a boss in a simple Flash-based video game on the Hasbro web site.[17]

Really great, well-researched article. I think you hit the nail on the head here – the fact that there are more expensive sets than ever before affects perception. Also, I’m pretty sure the presence of a baseplate (light but large) in the old sets made them seem bigger. I don’t like the lack of baseplates in new sets – it does make them seem smaller.

Hot Rodimus also appeared in the Japanese exclusive Kiss Players storyline. In the alternate timeline of Kiss Players, Hot Rodimus has given up the Matrix to Ultra Magnus after his actions in hurling Galvatron out of Unicron's body resulted in the Decepticon leader crashing into and devastating Tokyo, rather than landing on Thrull, as seen in the original continuity. He subsequently came to Earth to try to repair relations with the humans, but was instead attacked and nearly killed by a Legion Creature, a hybrid created from Galvatron's Unicron-corrupted cells fusing with local creatures. He was saved by a kiss from the human Li Shao-Shao and reformatted into a body resembling a Ford GT. He went on to battle the Earth Defense Command (an anti-Transformer organization), the Legion - and Optimus Prime himself. Prime had been resurrected in a Kiss Player body, but Hot Rodimus, believing his commander to be dead, thought it was a trick.
Generation 1 Optimus Prime has appeared in numerous video games since the introduction of the Transformers series. He makes a cameo in the 1999 Beast Wars Transmetals video game for Nintendo 64, where he is killed by Megatron at the end of the campaign, showing what would have happened in the Beast Wars series with a Predacon victory. Prime is also one of the playable characters in the 2003 Japan-only Transformers game for the PlayStation 2 and the 2010 Transformers: War for Cybertron. Optimus Prime is also playable in the Hasbro Net Jet Transformers fighting game Transformers Battle Universe. Three versions of Optimus Prime are playable characters, including the first generation incarnation, his incarnations from the 2007 live-action film, and the incarnation from Transformers Animated. In this game, Optimus Primal is also a playable character. He is a regular character in the Nintendo GameCube and PlayStation 2 2003 fighting game DreamMix TV World Fighters. He appeared as a boss in a simple Flash-based video game on the Hasbro web site.[17]

Prime comes with all the accessories of his previous release, although his ever-changing ion blaster is now somewhat confusingly cast in blue plastic. He features one major additional accessory: an electronic display base sculpted with the image of the Matrix and the Autobot insignia. Pressing the insignia's crest triggers a series of electronic soundbytes, mostly quotes from the movie recited not by original actor Peter Cullen, but by Hasbro's in-house actor, Ron Hayden: "Autobots, transform and roll out!", "I want you to make a special run to Autobot City," "Megatron must be stopped!", "All we need is a little energon, and a lot of luck," and two samples of the classic transformation sound effect, one ascending, one descending.

Based on Optimus Prime's Cybertronian form as seen in the Dreamwave comic book "The War Within", this version of Prime transforms into Cybertronian truck. The figure was personally designed by comic artist Don Figueroa, who created the original comic design in the first place, and his signature is left on the figure in the most literal way: the word "DON" can be seen sculpted into the barrel of his silver ion blaster.
After the successful Armada toy line, Hasbro/Takara introduced Transformers: Energon. The accompanying television series program was a direct continuation of the events of Transformers: Armada and featured many of the same characters in new forms. This was reflected in the toy line, as characters such as Hot Shot, Jetfire, Optimus Prime and Megatron were all released with entirely new molds.
As seen in the episode "War Dawn", Optimus Prime began his life as a robot named Orion Pax, a mostly defenseless dock worker during the Golden Age of Cybertron nine million years ago, with a girlfriend named Ariel and a best friend named Dion. During this time, a new breed of robot with new flight capabilities appeared on the planet that Orion idolized. When Megatron, the leader of the new group of robots, approached him with inquiries about using one of the dock warehouses, Orion was swayed by Megatron. Both Orion and Ariel were severely wounded when Megatron and his forces attacked in order to claim the energy stored there. Searching for someone to help them, the time-displaced Aerialbots took Orion and Ariel to the ancient Autobot, Alpha Trion, who used them as the first subjects for the new reconstruction process he had developed involving rebuilding the frail Autobot frames into more battle-hardy configurations. With this reconstruction, Orion Pax became Optimus Prime, the first of the Autobot warriors.

Alerted by Bumblebee of Megatron's latest plan, Optimus Prime led the mission on Wheeljack's ship to foil them. He sent Bumblebee on an underwater scouting mission, and took part in a pitched battle that ended in the Decepticon's being defeated. Search for Treasure Under the Sea When Rumble dropped rocks on the Autobots, Optimus used Roller to eliminate most of them. Unfortunately he was forced to surrender when he saw the other Autobots had been captured by the Decepticons, and was placed in a special Autobot prison. Luckily Bumblebee remained free, and after he'd rescued the others, Optimus wrapped Megatron up with an iron bar. Bumblebee to the Rescue!

Like several new-mold Revenge of the Fallen toys, Optimus Prime suffers from some cost-cutting measures that affected the final production version of the mold. According to Hasbro's stock photos/back-of-box photo of the hand-painted prototype, the toolboxes on the sides of his legs were designed to fold away further for a sleeker, cleaner look. Additionally, the rear tires would have been able to split in half, with the inner half of the tire going inside the outer half to recreate the thin tires seen on Prime's CG design. Some articulation was lost on the toy between Hasbro stock photography and the final release. His fingers are no longer articulated; instead, the entire hand is now one molded piece. Finally, the lower arms appear to have been originally designed so that his hands could slide in or out of them during transformation. Sadly, he also lacks rubber tires, which the original movie Prime did have. Meanwhile, the articulated fingers was later used for the Asia Premium Series & Movie The Best releases.

In the third nexus, Optimus oversaw Ironhide testing Sparkplug's latest invention, the Sun-Pak, a miraculous device capable of fuelling a Transformer for an entire Earth day after being charged for only an hour in sunlight. As the trial-run wound down to an end, the Decepticons suddenly burst into the Autobots' secret underground testing facility, forcing Optimus to decide whether to order a tactical retreat, or have his Autobots fight the intruders despite his troops' low energy reserves. If he chose to stand and fight, he had the additional choice to either make the Autobots concentrate on Starscream, who is leading the charge against the Autobots, or divide his troops' attention onto all of the Decepticon assailants. If Optimus chose to attempt to eliminate Starscream once and for all, the Decepticon Seeker would beg for mercy, forcing Optimus into a choice yet again: accept the snivelling Decepticon's surrender, or continue his attempt to end Starscream's evil once and for all. Accepting Starscream's surrender spells victory for the Autobots, whereas ignoring Starscream pleas ultimately leads to Sparkplug being kidnapped by the Decepticons, necessitating Optimus to send Buster, Blaster and Bumblebee on a perilous retrieval mission while the other Autobots recharge at the Autobots' home base.

While stock photos and renders show the figure with a faceplate, this image posted by the Transformers Facebook page shows him with his mouth exposed. This was later found as a variant at least once. A running change was made, changing the blades to be more translucent. The semi-translucent blades release features a date code "73461", whereas the translucent orange blades version features a date code written as "80171".
Although the animated series ended in the U.S. after The Rebirth, Optimus Prime continued to appear in animated sequences of Transformers toy commercials, progressing from Powermaster to Action Master. He even made an appearance as a computer-generated Combat Hero. Many episodes of the series were re-aired to promote Transformers: Generation 2. During these sequences, computer-generated scenes featuring key G1 characters are borrowed from Generation 2 commercials to serve as opening, closing, and commercial bumpers. Optimus Prime is shown in the opening and closing fighting Generation 2's Ramjet.

Following our last article on in hand images of Studio Series 38 Voyager Class Optimus Prime (from the Bumblebee film), TonTon Reviews (who put up the in hand images), has come through on what they said and posted their review! This review allows us to get the best look at the toy yet, as well as its surprisingly complex transformation. We see the ion blaster included stores between his legs in truck mode to fill in the gap and hold it togethyer. The backpack in robot mode also has 5mm - Read More

Millions of years later, Optimus was one of the thirty-five Autobots rebuilt into modern machines by the ship"s computer. Some time later, Jazz reported that he had spotted Decepticon activity at a nearby construction site. Optimus decided to take a proactive angle to their war with the Decepticons, and led the entirety of his troops to the Decepticon base. Once there, they found themselves allowed in by Megatron, feigning a friendly demeanor. Not fooled by Megatron's claims that he was making an honest living heading a construction company, Optimus engaged the evil robots in combat, before being blasted out of the Decepticon base. Optimus and his troops were sent tumbling down the cliffside beneath their feet. The Autobots suffered only minor damage from the fall, and after getting patched up, moved out once more to stop Megatron's plan, now well under way. Megatron was holding millions of humans hostage in a bid to get the Earth to surrender unconditionally to the Decepticons.

"Bot Shots" Optimus Prime had many confrontations with his Megatron counterpart, crashing into each other in vehicle mode and then slugging it out in robot mode. Battle for the Matrix Bot Shots commercial Bot Shots Dragon Track Commercial One Bot Shot Optimus and Megatron belonged to neighbours, and taunted one another when their owners left for school. They both burst out of their respective houses, destroying the windows on the way out and colliding in mid-air. Battle for the Matrix Bot Shots commercial

This mold was redecoed into Universe Optimus Primal and Beast Wars Telemocha Series DX Convoy, and retooled into Beast Wars Reborn/Beast Wars Tenth Anniversary versus pack Optimus Primal. Takara also created multiple special variants, including all-gold (from Tele-V Magazine, only ten awarded), red and gray (Tele-V again, but only one awarded), and blue-fur (a Comics Bom Bom design-contest prize, only five awarded).